Method and system for delivering of messages

ABSTRACT

A method, and infrastructure supporting the same, for enabling the supply of data to a predetermined group of recipients ( 14 ), each of which has a means ( 24 ) for displaying messages carried in said data and received electronically via a communications channel ( 28 ). A host ( 10 ) provides an electronic communications facility operating to send data to its own group of client recipients over the communications channel ( 28 ). A requesting party ( 12 ) provides to the host ( 10 ) one or more items of data and a plurality of individually specified recipient addresses, and the host ( 10 ) sends this data to each of the recipient addresses on behalf of the requesting party ( 12 ). In this arrangement, the host ( 10 ) can recoup some of the costs of establishing the communications facility by charging the requesting party ( 12 ) for message delivery, whilst the requesting party avoids such establishment costs.

The present invention relates to methods for selectively supplying datato specifically identified groups of recipients, and also tocommunications systems and devices supporting such methods.

Recent years have seen a huge increase in the volume of data that isbeing made generally available to the public, from a variety of sources.However, as this volume has increased, there has also been an increasein the need for means to specifically target the delivery of such datato avoid swamping recipients with large amounts of unnecessary material.

The internet has been a principal source of the increased volume ofdata, with many companies and organisations now using this as a primarymeans for communicating information to customers, members of staff andother interested parties. A number of problems arise with the targetingof information via the internet for such parties: firstly, theinformation provider is required to support a communicationsinfrastructure that hosts a web site accessible by the targetrecipients; secondly, the target recipients are required to periodicallylog on to such a web site to see whether there is relevant informationposted (including going through passwords and other access checks wherethe information is not intended for general public access) although thiscan be improved through the use of e-mail notifications to the intendedrecipients when relevant data is posted; thirdly, the recipients arerequired to have an internet access capability - typically through apersonal computer or other web-enabled device. Such a system cantherefore represent a large investment in terms of both cost andcomplexity for both the information provider and the target recipients.

An improved means for targeting recipients is through the use of anintranet, where access to the facility and the delivered information canbe restricted to the intended recipients. An intranet infrastructure,particularly involving dedicated communications channels between theinformation provider and recipients, is typically an even more costlyand complex set up than providing data through the internet.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a means forselectively making available data/information to a plurality ofrecipients whilst keeping equipment costs under control for thosewishing to send data to targeted groups of recipients.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method forenabling the supply of data to a predetermined group of recipients, eachof which has a means for displaying messages carried in said data andreceived electronically via a communications channel; wherein a hostprovides an electronic communications facility operating to send data toa first plurality of individually specified recipient addresses over oneor more communications channels; wherein a requesting party provides tosaid host one or more items of data and a further plurality ofindividually specified recipient addresses; and wherein said host sendssaid one or more items of data to each of said recipient addresses.

With the host effectively making available spare capacity on an existingintranet to the requesting party, the capital costs to the requestingparty are greatly reduced through not having to invest in their owncommunications infrastructure. The host may send the one or more itemsof data (representing targeted messages from the requesting party totheir target recipients) in return for remuneration from the requestingparty, thereby making it commercially attractive for the host to makeavailable any spare capacity on their own intranet to recoup some of thecosts from setting it up in the first place. The level of remunerationmay be determined at least partly by the number of recipient addressesto which data is sent and/or the volume of data sent.

The host may format the data received from the requesting party prior tosending to said further plurality of recipient addresses, therebyrelieving the requester of the need to fully author messages to be sentout. For improved efficiency, the host may store received groups ofrecipient addresses under a group alias, with the requesting partysubsequently specifying those addresses by said group alias, to avoidthe need to resend extensive address lists each time there is a newmessage.

The host typically has a finite capability in terms of the volume ofdata that can be handled, and suitably only that capability remainingafter the handling of data for said first plurality of recipientaddresses (the hosts own recipients) is made available to the requestingparty. Where there are a number of requesting parties, this freecapacity may be allocated according to priority of message, primacy ofone party over another, or auctioned to the highest bidder.

The host may further send data of its own, (for example advertisementsfor its goods or services) to the specified recipients of the requestingparty, and any business received as a result of such messages may beused to offset charges to the requesting party for the message deliveryservice.

Also in accordance with the present invention there is provided a datatransmission system operable to support the method outlined above andcomprising:

-   -   an address store holding individual connection addresses, over        one or more communications channels, for a plurality of        recipients;    -   a message data store arranged to receive from said requesting        party and store one or more items of data for transmission;    -   data transmission means operable to transmit data from said        message data store, via said one or more communications        channels, to recipients whose individual connection addresses        are held in said address store; and    -   control means arranged, on receipt of identification of a data        item in said message data store and a plurality of recipients,        to cause said data transmission means to transmit said        identified data item to said recipients.

The invention further provides a communications system comprising theabove data transmission system, together with said one or morecommunications channels, and a plurality of recipient receivers, whereineach recipient receiver comprises connection means operable to receivedata received via said one or more communications channels and a displaydevice operable to display messages carried in the received data. Inorder to keep costs low for the intended recipients, the display deviceis suitably a television set, and the connection means is a set-top boxor an interface circuit with said television set: this avoids the needfor internet access capability.

In such a communications system, the said one or more communicationschannels may provide a return data path from a recipient to said datatransmission system, with said data transmission system being configuredto identify any data messages from a recipient of said requesting partyand forward the same to said requesting party. These communicationschannels may include a telephone line and/or a two-way satellite link.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, byway of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a general schematic view of a communications system embodyingthe present invention;

FIG. 2 schematically represents the provision of a message deliveryservice according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 represents a number of optional further features to the serviceof FIG. 2; and

Figure illustrates features of a data transmission system suitable toembody the present invention.

FIG. 1 generally illustrates a system by means of which a host 10provides a virtual intranet by means of which one or more requestingthird parties 12 are enabled to deliver messages to specificallytargeted recipients 14 (only one shown for clarity). The host 10 willtypically comprise one or a networked arrangement of computer terminals16, each with a network connection 18 linking it to a central server 20.Also coupled with the server 20 is an output processor 22 which handlesthe addressing and delivery of messages to the remotely locatedrecipients 14.

Recipients 14, whether clients or customers of the host 10 or of arequesting party 12, will have a means for receiving and displayingdelivered messages. As shown, the recipient receiver may comprise atelevision set 24 of the user with message receipt and formatting fordisplay being handled by a connected set-top box 26 or suitableinterface card (not shown) incorporated within the television itself.

Linking the hosts output processor 22 and the set-top box (or card) 26is a communications channel 28 which may, as shown, comprise a telephonelink 30, a (preferably two-way) satellite link 32, a fibre optic link(not shown), or a combination of these.

In the embodiment illustrated, the requesting parties are shown ascomprising a computer terminal 34 with communications connection 36 to aserver 38, which server is connected (via link 40) to the hosts server20. Such an arrangement simplifies the delivery of message,data from therequesting party 12 to host 10 but can represent quite an investment onthe part of the requesting party, although the need for the requester toprovide their own output processor (equivalent to device 22) is avoided.It will be appreciated, however, that the requesting party may not havesuch a message formatting and/or communications facility, and mayinstead communicate messages for delivery to the host in a variety ofother ways, from electronic delivery of data down to verbal delivery inperson or over a telephone line. With such basic forms of messagedelivery, the host may offer a message formatting service to put thereceived data into a message format agreed with the requester fordelivery of their messages.

FIG. 2 represents the service provided by the host 10 linking arequester 12 with their target recipients 14, commencing generally withthe provision of the service at 50.

The requesting party 12 provides to the host 10 one or more items ofdata 52 and a plurality of individually specified recipient addresses 54to which the data is to be sent, and the host will store 56 the receivedinformation, either temporarily or for a longer period if the datadelivery is to be deferred for some reason. To avoid the need for therequesting party to specify a long list of target addresses on repeatoccasions, a facility is suitably provided whereby the requester and/orhost applies an alias 58 for repeatedly used groups of recipients, suchthat on future occasions the requester need only specify 60 the aliasfor the group of recipients.

Having received the data for sending and the list of recipient addresses(or alias for a pre-stored list), the host formats the data andtransmits it 62 to the target recipients.

As mentioned above, the communications channel or channels between hostand recipient are preferably able to support two-way communication tosupport interaction by the recipient. As indicated at 64, where therecipient generates a response to a message or received data, the hostreceives that reply 66 and identifies the requester for which thereplying recipient is a client and relays 68 the reply to thatrequester.

Having dispatched a message for a requester, the host calculates thecost 70 of the service and bills the requester, followed by remuneration72 from the requesting party. As will be recognised, the level ofremuneration may be determined at least partly by the number ofrecipient addresses to which data is sent, by the volume of data sent,or on some other basis. Additionally, billing for the service may be atintervals other than immediately after each message (for example weeklyor monthly) and rather than purely financial remuneration, the requestermay trade off the cost of the messaging service against goods orservices which it is able to provide to the host.

FIG. 3 represents some possible additions or alterations to the serviceas described with reference to FIG. 2. In this instance there are tworequesting parties 80, 82 wishing to send messages via the host 10, andthree groups of recipients 84, 86, 88. The first group of recipients 84are direct clients (customers, employees etc.) of the host itself, towhich the host 10 is sending messages 90.

Where the host receives respective requests to send 92, 94 from the tworequesting parties 80, 82, its first step will be to assess its capacity96 and capability to handle the requested deliveries. If it has thecapacity to handle all requested messages (including its own) then, asshown at 98 it will send out the respective messages to all three groupsof recipients. If the capacity/capability assessment 96 shows there isinsufficient capacity to handle both requesters messages in addition toits own, the host will perform a selection process 100 which may involvenegotiation with the two requesters 80, 82 to identify the relativeimportance of their respective messages, to identify which might beprepared to pay a premium for faster delivery, or to decide in someother manner which requester message has primacy. Assuming the secondrequester 82 to have been successful, at 102 the messages of both thehost 10 and the second requester 82 are sent. At 104, the situationoccurs that the host 10 does not have messages to send to its clients 84and instead it can utilise its capability to send the messages of bothrequesters 80, 82 together. As indicated at 106, the host 10 may addpromotional material (such as advertisements for goods or services ofthe host) to the messages sent out to the clients of the requesters,with the requesters that agree to this being optionally given a discountfor the cost of the messaging service.

FIG. 4 illustrates features of the hosts data transmission system 110operable to support the above-described message relaying method. Thesystem comprises an address store 112 holding individual connectionaddresses, over one or more communications channels, for the pluralityof recipients (both the hosts own clients and those recipient addressesnotified by a requesting party). A message data store 114 is arranged toreceive from requesting parties one or more items of data fortransmission, as well as holding messages for transmission by the hostto its own clients and promotional information to be passed on to otherrecipients (106; FIG. 3). A transmission stage 116 is operable totransmit data from the message data store 114, via said one or morecommunications channels (28; FIG. 1), to recipients whose individualconnection addresses are held in the address store 112. As will beappreciated, the particular form of the transmission stage 116 will bedictated by the form of communication channel or channels over which thedata is to be delivered.

Coupled with the stores 112, 114 and the transmission stage 116 is aprocessor or other control means 1 18 arranged, on receipt ofidentification of a data item in the message data store and a pluralityof recipients, to cause the data transmission stage to transmit saididentified data item to said recipients. As indicated by dashed lines120, 122, 124, as described above the communications channel maycomprise a two-way link with messages received 126 via such a backchannel being passed via the control means 118 which identifies therequester whose client has responded prior to relaying 124 the messageback to the requester.

The foregoing system enables connection of a television to a telephoneline or other communications path, such as a two way satellite link, andenables information which is traditionally the domain of a corporateinternet/intranet to be transmitted to and displayed on a televisionscreen using an appropriate interface such as a Set Top Box (STB) orinterface card within the television—an alternative (and cheaper) mediumthan the personal computer (PC). This would enable employees who do nothave access to a PC as part of their working day, to receive the sameinformation as those who do. It has global potential when used inconjunction with satellite broadcast. It is particularly suited forlarge manufacturing organisations, or those such as airlines. It is alsosuited for use by persons who have not been trained to use, or have thefinance for, a PC. This might comprise:

-   -   Company communications such as in-house magazines (one way)    -   Maintenance of personal data such as records in an e-HR        environment (interactive).    -   Selling of goods and services (interactive)    -   Email facility (two way).    -   Communication structure for the request and delivery of        information.

In setting up, the host would typically establish the facility for itsown use. It would then sell capacity and technical expertise to otherorganisations generating income from:

-   -   Initial costs that are chargeable    -   Revenue based on the number of employees connected and/or volume        of data handled.    -   Revenue from the sales of the hosts services or products through        the same channel to all company/3^(rd) party employees attached        to the network.

If deployed on a wide scale it would enable other applications andinformation flows, such as:

-   -   Election voting    -   Market research    -   Access to National and local government information.    -   Distance learning (as represented at 130 in FIG. 1)    -   Banking    -   Communication with individuals who are “house bound”.    -   As an easy to use and low cost e-Medicine facility connecting        persons in rural areas to consultants (132; FIG. 1) without the        need to travel extensive distances (green medicine); or via a        doctors surgery (134: FIG. 1) to a Hospital consultant.    -   Product Knowledge information learning for retail staff, etc.

Although defined principally in terms of a software-based or controlledimplementation, the skilled reader will be well aware than many of theabove-described functional features could equally well be implemented inhardware or a combination of software and hardware.

From reading the present disclosure, other modifications will beapparent to persons skilled in the art. Such modifications may involveother features which are already known in the design, manufacture anduse of telecommunications systems and/or data network access apparatusand devices and component parts thereof and which may be used instead ofor in addition to features already described herein.

1. A method for enabling the supply of data to a predetermined group ofrecipients, each of which has a means for displaying messages carried insaid data and received electronically via a communications channel;wherein a host provides an electronic communications facility operatingto send data to a first plurality of individually specified recipientaddresses over one or more communications channels; wherein a requestingparty provides to said host one or more items of data and a furtherplurality of individually specified recipient addresses; and whereinsaid host sends said one or more items of data to each of said recipientaddresses.
 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said host storesreceived groups of recipient addresses under a group alias, and therequesting party subsequently specifies those addresses by said groupalias.
 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said host sendssaid one or more items of data in return for remuneration from saidrequesting party.
 4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the levelof remuneration is determined at least partly by the number of recipientaddresses to which data is sent.
 5. A method as claimed in claim 3,wherein the level of remuneration is determined at least partly by thevolume of data sent.
 6. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5,wherein the host formats the data received from said requesting partyprior to sending to said further plurality of recipient addresses.
 7. Amethod as claimed in claim 1, wherein the host has a finite capabilityin terms of the volume of data that can be handled, and only thatcapability remaining after the handling of data for said first pluralityof recipient addresses is made available to said requesting party.
 8. Amethod as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the host further sendsdata of its own to the specified recipients of the requesting party. 9.A method as claimed in claim 8,.wherein the said data of its own sent bythe host includes one or more advertisements for the host.
 10. A datatransmission system operable to support the method of claim 1,comprising: an address store holding individual connection addresses,over one or more communications channels, for a plurality of recipients;a message data store arranged to receive from said requesting party andstore one or more items of data for transmission; data transmissionmeans operable to transmit data from said message data store, via saidone or more communications channels, to recipients whose individualconnection addresses are held in said address store; and control meansarranged, on receipt of identification of a data item in said messagedata store and a plurality of recipients, to cause said datatransmission means to transmit said identified data item to saidrecipients.
 11. A communications system comprising the data transmissionsystem of claim 10, said one or more communications channels, and aplurality of recipient receivers, wherein each recipient receivercomprises connection means operable to receive data from said one ormore communications channels and a display device operable to displaymessages carried in the received data.
 12. A communications system asclaimed in claim 11, wherein said display device is a television set.13. A communications system as claimed in claim 12, wherein saidconnection means is a set-top box.
 14. A communications system asclaimed in claim 12, wherein said connection means is an interfacecircuit with said television set.
 15. A communications system as claimedin any of claims 11 to 14, wherein said one or more communicationschannels provide a return data path from a recipient to said datatransmission system, with said data transmission system being configuredto identify any data messages from a recipient of said requesting partyand forward the same to said requesting party.
 16. A communicationssystem as claimed in any of claims 11 to 15, wherein said one or morecommunications channels includes a telephone line.
 17. A communicationssystem as claimed in any of claims 11 to 15, wherein said one or morecommunications channels includes a two-way satellite link.